Message exchange

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a voice message exchange system and method for improving communication between an inmate and a third party by enabling the inmate to leave a message when a call is not answered and further allowing the third party who receives the message to reply with a message to the inmate. Additionally, outside parties that meet the institution&#39;s requirements can leave messages for inmates at any time. The present invention can be used as an add-on to legacy inmate call management systems or incorporated internally into an inmate call management system. The system also provides monitoring, controlling, recording, and billing means.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-in-Part application of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/967,076, filed Aug. 14, 2013, which is aContinuation-in-Part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/584,295, filed Aug. 13, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,515,031, which is aContinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/045,590,filed Jan. 28, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,891, which are incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of telephonecommunication systems in penal institutions or similar facilities. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a system and method forimproving communication between an inmate and a third party by enablingthe inmate to leave a message when a call is not answered and furtherallowing the third party who receives the message to reply with amessage to the inmate. Further, the present invention enables authorizedthird parties to access the system and leave messages for inmates evenif the inmate has not left a message for the third party.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the need to monitor, control, record and provide detailedrecords of the usage of a telephone system in a controlled institutionalenvironment is well recognized. It is common to utilize a controlledtelephone system capable of monitoring outgoing telephone connections inmany types of institutional environments, including penal institutions,military institutions, hospitals, schools, businesses, specific types ofgovernment institutions, etc.

The reasons for monitoring and controlling institutional telephonesystems are evident. To prevent such institutions from incurringunaccountable telephone costs, the institutions must either restrictaccess to outbound telephone lines or employ a telephone monitoringsystem to charge the responsible party for making the outboundcommunication. Otherwise, unaccountable telephone costs would severelyhinder the availability of the telephone systems in institutions.However, the restrictions utilized by these systems result in overallinefficiency as two-thirds of the attempted calls go unansweredpresenting a problem for both the system's users and the institution.

It is imperative for many institutions to utilize a communication systemthat provides an accurate identification means for administrators todetermine the individual responsible for each outbound telephone call. Acommunication system must also provide a monitoring means formaintaining a useful record of the communication. Additionally, thesystem should include a means for restricting access or a means forproviding options to particular users. Considering the number of usersin a large institution, different payment methods available, and theexcessive call volume at many institutions, it is evident that aneffective telephone management system is essential.

Providing telephone systems in specific types of highly restrictedinstitutions, such as penal institutions, results in the considerationof numerous additional complicating factors. Generally, the governmentheavily regulates outbound communication means in penal institutions.Therefore, communication systems implemented in penal institutions orsimilar facilities must meet greater security requirements oftenmandated by regulatory bodies affiliated with the county, state, orfederal institution. Thus, the communication system used in a regulatedinstitution must employ unique functions often unnecessary in othertypes of institutions.

In its most general form, a penal institution's telephone systemutilizes a call processor to approve and place a call, surveillanceequipment or monitoring equipment, and a recording device for evidencingthe conversation. Generally, these simple systems are not equipped torestrict an inmate from calling an individual. However, it is preferablefor the call system devices now employed in such institutions to havethe capability to thwart an inmate from calling certain specificindividuals or types of individuals. Systems currently exist capable ofcontrolling calls. It is well documented that without the necessaryconstraints on an inmate's use of the telephone system, inmates haveoften harassed outside parties or individuals. For example, it isgenerally preferred that an inmate be prevented from placing a telephonecall to the prosecutor who prosecuted the inmate's case or anotherattorney responsible for the sentencing of the inmate. In anotherexample, it may be preferred that an inmate be prevented from contactingthe victim of the inmate's crime or witnesses from the inmate's case.Additionally, inmates have used previous penal institution call systemsto perpetrate additional criminal activities such as fraudulent schemesor specific criminal conspiracies. Specifically, inmates have been knownto arrange credit card fraud attempts, the smuggling of contraband intothe facility, and have even been known to arrange escape attempts overthe penal institution's telephone system. Therefore, it is critical inan efficient penal institution to carefully monitor all outgoingtelephone calls making a regulated penal institution telephone system anecessity.

Another concern in implementing an efficient institution telephonesystem is cost control. In order for a system to be cost effective thesystem must critically monitor and record the activities of eachindividual user to properly charge each individual caller for his or heroutgoing calls. Typically, telephone communication systems in penalinstitutions provide an inmate with a telephone account upon arrival.There are several options for an inmate to select with respect topayment on the account. For example, an inmate may place prior personalearnings into the account. The cost of each call is then deducted fromthe total amount in the inmate's account until no balance remains. Theinmate may also choose to utilize collect call means. In addition, aninmate may be assigned a commissary account, where funds are added tothe account based on work performed by the inmate. As the fundsincrease, the inmate may apply these funds to the cost of placingtelephone calls. The inmate debit account may be located onsite, at acentral office facility, or at a third-party site.

The inmate's family may alternatively control the inmate debit account.For example, the inmate's family may control the inmate's access to thedebit account either remotely (e.g., by using the Internet, accessing atoll-free/pay to dial telephone number, using a mail form, etc.) or byvisiting the prison facility. The inmate's family may add funds to thedebit account and thereby control the call volume allowed to the inmate.

Another requirement of a secure telephone management system in a penalinstitution is the accurate identification of the telephone callparticipants. Generally, it is common in a penal institution to assigneach inmate a personal identification number (“PIN”). When an inmateattempts to place a telephone calls the inmate must supply a valid PINto gain access to the telephone system. Other systems include requiringpersonal information in addition to a PIN to be supplied by theinmate/user. For example, a user might be prompted to supply a PIN aswell as certain information that may only be known to the user. A commonexample is a request by the call system to provide their mother's maidenname.

Another required feature of a telephone management system for a penalinstitution or similar facility is a means for restricting calls placedby a user (e.g., an inmate). It is well documented that inmates oftentry to harass individuals related to their arrest or confinement, suchas judges, prosecutors, witnesses, etc., through telephoniccommunications. Penal institutions have attempted to prevent thisharassment by restricting the telephone numbers each inmate is able toaccess. For example, a system may utilize a PIN or other identificationmeans to access a list of telephone numbers that the inmate may notcall, or alternatively, the system may access a list of numbers that theinmate is authorized to connect to (i.e., the inmate can only call thenumbers appearing on the list). Telephone numbers placed on therestricted list can include any individual related to the conviction(e.g., the arresting police officer, the prosecuting attorney, etc.),while telephone numbers placed on the permitted list may include, forexample, close family relatives. The system may also limit the amount oftime each inmate/user is permitted to conduct each outbound telephonecall through the system. Furthermore, restrictions may be regularlyupdated. For example, if an inmate misbehaves, the inmate's telephoneprivileges may be further limited or revoked completely.

Penal institutions are also concerned with monitoring the activities andcommunications of inmates. Monitoring telephone activities is necessaryto restrict connections to illegal activities outside of theinstitution.

Three existing types of call monitoring techniques are known in the art.The first technique is live monitoring. Live monitoring requires anoperator or other individual to listen to each telephone call and alertthe proper authorities if necessary.

The second type of monitoring involves recording the telephoneconversation via a common recording device. A common example is arecording device such as a magnetic tape drive or a computer hard drive.This type of monitoring may be continuous or intermittent depending onthe degree of security required for each inmate.

The third type of monitoring is known as passive monitoring. Passivemonitoring may be activated when certain keywords are spoken. Inaddition, passive monitoring may be activated if the telephone call atthe termination end is transferred to a third party via certain knowndetection means such as silence detection, hook-flash detection, etc.

Penal institutions currently record most inmate telephone calls, withthe exception of lawyer-inmate communications, which are generallyprohibited by law. Typically in the art, monitoring may occur using anycombination of the three methods (e.g., live monitoring, electronicrecording monitoring, or passive monitoring). It can be advantageous toflag certain individuals in an inmate's profile as highly suspicious. Ifthe inmate initiates communication with the flagged individual, thesystem will alert a live operator to monitor the system. In such asystem it is essential that the system correctly identify the calledindividual to avoid unnecessary expenditure of live operators.

Alternatively, the inmate telephone call system may utilize a remotealert notification system wherein the system contacts an operator when aviolation has occurred. The system may contact the operator utilizingtelephone means, paging means, computer means, etc. This notificationsystem may be set to call the operator a limited number of times oruntil the alert has been noted in the inmate telephone call system. Theoperator may then access information about the alert remotely using thetelephone, Internet, or any other such remote access means.

In order to alleviate some of the problems and concerns discussedherein, many penal institutions have implemented certain task-specificadvanced systems. Generally, these “advanced” systems known in the artcomprise several features.

For example, it is known in current systems to employ permanent callblocking. Specifically, it is known in the art to block an inmate orgroup of inmates from dialing certain telephone numbers. Most systemsalso prevent inmates from talking directly to live operators. Thisprevents inmates from requesting that the operator forward a call orprovide additional telephone numbers allowing inmates to harass orlocate additional parties. Furthermore, current systems block “1-800,”“1-900” and other like telephone numbers including toll-free andpay-to-dial telephone numbers. In addition, certain institutions mayelect to block country codes, specific area codes, or other third-partynumbers.

Current systems known in the art may also utilize a feature commonlyreferred to as “selective” call blocking. As discussed, “selective” callblocking may be employed to thwart inmates from establishing aconnection with a selected group of individuals (i.e., with the hometelephone of prison guards, wardens, indictment witnesses, trialwitnesses, police officers, judges, etc.). It is also foreseeable thatthe telephone numbers of the family members of these specificindividuals may also be blocked.

Some current systems also limit the use of specific long-distancecarriers. This feature proves useful in limiting unnecessary costsincurred by employing alternate carriers.

Several current systems utilize features commonly referred to as “hookflash” prevention or “click” and “pop” prevention modes. These systemsprevent inmates from extending the current outgoing telephone call andentering a new telephone call with a new number without fullyterminating the original telephone call. For example, this featureprevents an inmate from utilizing common call forwarding features andthe like.

In addition, some current institutional telephone systems electronicallyor manually disable the keypad after a telephone number is dialed andthe telephone call is connected. This feature prevents inmates frominteracting with telephone games and lotteries, and in certain oldersystems, prevents the inmate from achieving an unrestricted dial tone.

Another common feature employed by institutional systems is three-waycall prevention. This feature prevents an inmate from instructing thecalled party to bridge the telephone call to another telephone number.

Other known systems in the art may exhibit other regulatory features.For example, telephone communication systems generally allow aninstitution to limit the duration of a telephone call or to limit thecost of the telephone call. These types of features further allow afacility to customize the telephone call systems thereby preventingunrecoverable expenditures.

Another control used by current institution telephone systems is the useof certain aspects of biometric recognition for the identification ofusers or inmates (i.e., the calling party). It is highly beneficial forcommunication systems in penal institutions to incorporate biometrics asan additional security device. Biometric recognition is commonlyavailable in a number of fields. For example, biometrics recognition hasfound a number of security uses, including common usage, in credit cardsystems and building security systems. Biometric information includesfingerprints, hand geometry, voiceprints, retinal patterns, iris scans,signatures, infrared facial patterns, and all other sources whichconstitute unique physiological characteristics and which can assist inestablishing a person's identity. Various devices exist which can scanone or more biometric characteristics and digitize the information.

Generally, while much effort has been made to establish controlledinmate telephonic communication, inmate call management systems areinefficient. Studies have shown that approximately two-thirds of allcalls attempted by an inmate to an outside party are not answered by alive party (i.e., no answer or an answer by an automated message machinesuch as voicemail or an answering machine). These unanswered callspresent a problem for inmates as they often count against their monthlylimit thereby reducing the time available for inmates to talk to suchpeople as family members. Currently, the Federal Bureau of Prisons(FBOP) has a three hundred (300) minute per month limit for manyinmates. It may take the inmate several attempts to successfully contactan outside party or the inmate may never successfully contact a desiredoutside party.

Also, inmates and their outside contacts often complain of thedifficulty to communicate via live telephone conversations as they areoften several time zones away from each other. Due to the lack ofsuccessful completions of calls (i.e., only one-third of attempted callsare successful), inmates try to find a way to get around the systemresulting in even more restrictions placed on usage of the system.Additionally, these unanswered calls present a loss of revenue for theinstitution, as it is difficult to charge for system usage if the callis not answered.

A system is thus desirable that provides means for inmates and theirfamilies, etc. to communicate more easily whereby inmates can leave amessage for the outside party when calls are not answered. The systemshould allow the outside party who receives the message to reply with amessage to the inmate. Also, the system should enable authorized outsideparties to access the system and leave messages for the inmate at anytime even when an inmate has not left a message for the outside party.Not only would the efficiency of use increase, but also an additionalrevenue stream for the institution from the inmates/outside contacts whoutilize the system would be generated. However, due to factors such asgovernment regulations, such a system must be monitored and controlledin similar manners to current call management systems. The system shouldalso allow for live talk between the inmate and outside party if theoutside party answers the call, record the conversation as necessary,bill for usage of the system, etc.

One system known in the art discloses an automatic account numbervalidation and billing management system. The system prompts a user foran account number and compares the number inputted to a number stored ina database to determine validity. If the account number is valid andfound in the database, the system completes the predetermined telephonicconnection. If the number is not in the database, and therefore invalid,the system will utilize voice prompts to request re-entry of the numberor provide further instructions. The system attempts to locally automateand simplify the process of payment for routing calls without liveoperator assistance, but does not address additional security concernsthat may exist in specific facilities, such as in a penal institution.Furthermore, it does not provide for protection measures to confirm thatthe individual supplying the account number is the individual entitledto the use of the account. In such a hostile environment as a penalinstitution, an account number may easily be obtainable through coercionor by force. The system does not provide any means of monitoring theconversations taking place or restricting which individuals are accessedby the user. Additionally, the system does not provide means for voicemessage exchange resulting in overall inefficiency.

Another system known in the art discloses a call management systemenabling prepayment of telephone calls utilizing a debit system.Specifically, a user of the system obtains a special code by depositinga prepayment. The prepayment is stored in a database for use inverifying calling party calls. To access the system, a user dials aspecial number and inputs a user-specific code for verification followedby the number of the party to be called. Next, the code is verified bythe system. If verification is successful and sufficient funds areavailable, the call is connected. The prepayment amount, minusdeductions for the running cost of the call, is tabulated as the callprogresses. The call terminates either when the prepaid funds areexhausted in the user's account or when either party disconnects. Theinvention also includes steps to prevent the same access code from beingused at different terminals. However, the system does not teach a meansfor selecting the call type or a call monitoring means. It also fails toteach an advanced verification means specific to a user. Further, itdoes not teach voice message exchange if one of the parties is notavailable.

Yet another system known in the art teaches a multilingual prepaidtelephone system capable of interfacing with a public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN). In the system, each user is assigned a PersonalIdentification Number (PIN) and a credit account. A user first dials anumber to access the telephone system and chooses a language for allsubsequent voice prompts. The user then supplies a PIN, which iscompared against a list of numbers in a database. If sufficient creditis available for the duration of a telephone call to the destinationnumber, the connection is completed and a timer is set for the availableduration of the call. The call terminates either when the allowed amountof time for the call expires or if one party member hangs up thetelephone line. If the latter situation occurs, the system computes anew available credit balance for the user's account. However, the systemfails to provide a selection means for the user, such as the ability tochoose the type of call to be placed (e.g., collect, debit,international, etc.). It also fails to teach any call monitoring meansand would therefore be unacceptable as a communication system for apenal institution. Additionally, it does not teach any voice messageexchange means.

Still another system discusses an integrated commissary system forreceiving and processing orders in an institutional setting. Thecommissary system is designed for use without access to a PSTN.According to the system, user status and inventory status are stored inan onsite database. To access the database, a user provides identifierinformation and item selections through selected telephones. Theselections are compared against the onsite database using a processor.If the user is authenticated and the requested items are available, theprocessor generates transaction records, updates user commissaryinformation, and correctly adjusts inventory. The updated information isstored in a file that may be used for record keeping or archivalpurposes. However, the system does not teach a commissary system for usewith a PSTN or any voice message exchange means. This system also failsto teach multiple authentication means and would therefore beunacceptable for use in a penal institution. Additionally, the systemdoes not include means for voice message exchange making the systeminefficient.

Still a different system known in the art discloses a software processfor real-time call rating and debiting so that a subscriber's accountbalance is not exceeded. The method disclosed estimates the time whenthe user's balance will expire by using the total charge per secondaverage. The process then determines the time remaining by dividing theaccount balance by the average charge per second of all telephone calls,and the time limit for the call is then set accordingly. This method isuseful if the rate for long distance calls is not known locally.However, the system does not allow for other types of calls, such ascollect calls, to take place. Further, it fails to provide an advancedcall monitoring apparatus with an advanced authentication apparatus.Also, it fails to teach a voice message exchange system.

There is also a system that depicts an automated public telephonecontrol for charge or collect call billing. The apparatus embodies amicroprocessor system controlling voice prompting, recognition ofresponses, network signaling, recording of calling details, andverification of account numbers. The disclosed invention provides for anautomated telephone billing for public telephone systems. The systemoffers a plurality of billing methods, such as billing to a creditaccount number, to the called party (collect calling), or to a thirdparty. An additional aspect of the invention describes the recognitionof voice utterances from other signals and called party spoken words(i.e., the system can recognize the word “yes” when spoken by anyindividual). However, it does not identify or verify the individualspeaking. Furthermore, this system does not provide a means to identifythe user or verify that the user is not partaking in fraudulentactivities. It also fails to teach of a monitoring, call control, andvoice message exchange.

Yet still another system depicts a collect call system that canautomatically route long distance calls without intervention of anoutside service or operator. This feature enables private publictelephone owners, as opposed to primary telephone companies, to receiverevenue for completion of the call. The invention comprises the steps ofproviding the calling party with voice prompts, receiving voice ordialed signal information about the calling party in response to thevoice prompts, locally recording the information about the callingparty, providing the called party information about the calling party,and reacting to a variety of provided signals by either the called orcalling party. The system only provides a method and apparatus forplacing collect calls. In addition, it avoids consideration of providingother possible payment methods. The system disclosed is further limitedby its lack of telephone call monitoring ability and calling partyidentification means, and is therefore unsuitable for use in penalinstitutions.

Still a different system exemplifies the need for a control managementand monitoring system in institutional settings. This system discloses asystem for controlling, monitoring, recording and reporting telephonecommunications. The system deals primarily with the identification of auser through use of a PIN and restricting telephone communicationsthrough a profile accessed by the PIN. The system further contemplatesmeans for monitoring and recording communications. However, the systemonly enables live talk between parties and provides no means for voicemessage exchange.

Even another system is primarily concerned with incorporating animproved method of monitoring calls. The method includes a means fordetecting tones commonly associated with call bridging and callforwarding attempts. For example, the system is directed to thedetection of tones such as ring signals, busy signals, specialinformation tones (“SIT”), dual tone multi-frequency (“DTMF”) tones,call progress tones or other similar tones characteristic of theplacement of a telephone call. It is limited by detection of certainsounds, which may not be readily machine-recognizable. For example, itis foreseeable that interference, background noise, or compressed voicedata may inhibit the detection of the tones. Also, the system does notteach any method for voice message exchange.

Another system known in the art describes a system for the verificationof a calling party, called party and a secure connection. The inventionincludes the costly requirement of secure telephone devices known in theart. Specifically, the invention teaches a system wherein the callingand called parties supply voice data, which is encoded and transmittedover a telephone network. Both users hear the alternate party's recordedvoice data and verify that the supplied voice data is correct. The callis established only if both parties verify that the called party hasprovided the correct voice data. However, it would be too costly toimplement such a system in a penal institution or similar facility.Additionally, the system does not consider possible payment methods forcalls or call management. For example, certain inmates may be entitledto call only a few particular individuals. A system within penalinstitutions, or similar facilities, must include a means for limitingthe number of potential called parties and the specific parties to whichinmates can call and provide a means for monitoring inmate calltransactions.

Further, a different system discloses a system to permit usersrepetitive access to a multitude of systems. The system requires aninitial enrollment phase for access. The enrollment phase consists ofextracting biometric data to be stored for future use. The format of thedata is compatible with a plurality of verification/identificationsystems. For example, in one embodiment, it describes a biometricrecognition means including voice recognition, fingerprintidentification, and retinal scan identification. However, it does notaddress restrictions to the system or further monitoring means duringuse of the system, which are essential for systems within a penalinstitution.

Finally, a system known in the art provides a methodology for acomputerized telecommunications system for voice to text message storagefor use in correctional facilities. This system receives an externalmessage via either voice or text. There are two storage means: a voicemessage box or an email inbox. If a voice message is received, it passesas a regular telephonic voice message is then stored as a voice messagein the voice message box. If instead the storage unit is an email boxand a voice message is received, the voice message is converted to textand the message is then saved. The reverse happens if the message is atext message and the storage medium is a voice message box. If a textmessage is received and the inmate has an email inbox, the text messageis saved as text. The inmate is then notified of the new message. Thissystem can also allow the inmate to send either a text or voice messageto an external party. If the inmate leaves a voice message, noconversion occurs and the message is sent. However, if an inmate'smessage is in text form, either a text to voice conversion occurs beforebeing sent to the outside party or the text message is sent via email tothe external party. This system requires an external party have accessto the system to receive a message sent by an inmate. The external partymust constantly check the system to determine whether they have newmessages. Only upon accessing the system is the external party notifiedif there are any new messages. Further, the system requires that theinmate choose either to leave a voice message or attempt a live call.These drawbacks severely limit the system's functionality making it bothinefficient and difficult to implement into institutional settings.

In view of the foregoing, there clearly exists a need for an improvedmethod and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of an institution'stelephone call system. Furthermore, there clearly exists a need for animproved telecommunication system for use in penal or similarinstitutions that incorporates the ability to handle calls not answeredby a human, whether the calls are unanswered or answered by an automatedmessage device. Additionally, the system should allow outside parties toleave messages for users within the institution. There exists a need inthe art to incorporate these new features to provide a more efficienttelecommunication system with the capacity to allow an institution tocontrol, bill, record, monitor, and report usage and access to atelephone network.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention embodies a voice message exchange system for usein controlled call management systems. One such call management systemis found in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/215,367,incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. The system includescontrol, monitoring, recording, and reporting means for an institutionalbased telecommunication network and may further implement a debit cardplatform or other such payment methods. The system of the presentinvention may be implemented in a variety of facilities including penalinstitutions or similar facilities such as mental institutions, nursinghomes, rehabilitation centers, correctional facilities, governmentagencies, private and public businesses, and the like.

The present invention provides inmates with the ability to leavemessages when calls are not answered by the called party (i.e., anautomated answering device such as an answering machine or a voicemailbox answers or the call goes completely unanswered). Additionally,the present invention allows the called parties (i.e., outside contactswho receive messages from inmates) to reply with messages to theappropriate inmate. The present invention is advantageous for both theinstitution and the inmates. It is not possible for an institution tocharge for unanswered calls. The present invention solves this problemand thus provides an additional revenue stream for the institution fromthe inmates and their contacts that use the system (i.e., reduces theinstitution's losses on unanswered calls). From the inmates'perspective, it becomes much easier to communicate with outside contactsby substantially improving the efficiency of institutional callmanagement systems. The inmates and outside contacts can maintaincontact when inmate calling schedules conflict with outside contactschedules. Further, the present invention enables inmates with calllimits to leave messages stating when they can be reached.Advantageously, easier and more efficient communication has been foundto foster less agitated behavior and help in an inmate's rehabilitationprocess.

Institutional call management systems generally require acceptance fromthe called party before allowing the caller to communicate with thecalled party. However, in current call management systems, when aninmate places a call and a call is answered by an automated answeringdevice or the call goes unanswered, the inmate cannot leave a messagebecause, among other things, the automated answering device cannot enterthe positive acceptance digit required by institutional call managementsystems (i.e., “If you would like to accept this call, press 1.”). Uponno answer or an answer by an automated answering device, the presentinvention provides the caller (i.e., an inmate) with the option to leavea message. If the inmate chooses to record a message, the systemautomatically continues contact attempts with the dialed number at settime intervals until the system successfully makes contact with thecalled party or until a maximum number of attempts is reached. If amaximum number of unsuccessful attempts occurs, the system stores themessage and when the called party accesses the system, message playbacktakes place.

Upon making contact with an automated answering device or a live person,the system plays the message followed by instructions enabling thecalled party to leave a return message for the inmate. When the calledparty chooses to leave a return message, the system prompts the calledparty to enter his or her pre-existing account information or set up anew account. Once the called party enters the proper account informationor sets up an account, the called party leaves a message after which theinmate is notified. Also, an outside contact meeting the requirementsset forth by the institution for communicating with an inmate can accessthe system at any time and leave a message for that inmate.

Preferably, the appropriate account is charged on a per message basisfor usage of the system. However, several other methods for billing forusage of the system may be utilized, including, but not limited to,deducting the funds on a length of message basis, charging a monthlyservice fee, deducting funds based on a per minute fee, or charging amonthly base fee plus a deducting funds on a per minute basis.Additionally, prepaid accounts are preferably created that allows forbilling for system usage based on the aforementioned methods.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a moreefficient call management system for use in penal institutions and thelike.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method forallowing inmates to leave messages for called parties when the callplaced by the inmate is unable to be completed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide securityauthentication for users of the system.

A different object of the present invention is to enable outsidecontacts to leave a message for the inmate.

Additionally, an object of the present invention is to alert the inmateand/or outside contacts of a new message.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to enable outsidecontacts to block calls or messages from an inmate.

It is also an object of the present invention to monitor and recordcommunication between an inmate and outside contacts.

Still a different object of the present invention is to perform asecurity check on sent and received messages. Yet another object of thepresent invention is to provide a billing means for usage of the system.

It is further an object of the present invention to enable outsideparties to set up an account.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to enable the voicemessage system to be easily incorporated into inmate telecommunicationsystems.

Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention,as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements ofthe structure, and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, all of which form part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the present invention can be obtained byreference to a preferred embodiment set forth in the illustrations ofthe accompanying drawings. Although the illustrated embodiment is merelyexemplary of systems for carrying out the present invention, both theorganization and method of operation of the invention, in general,together with further objectives and advantages, thereof, may be moreeasily understood by reference to the drawings and the followingdescription. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of thisinvention, which is set forth with particularity in the claims asappended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarify and exemplifythe invention.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example embodiment of an inmatecall management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting the preferred process of an inmateleaving a voice message for an external party according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting the preferred process whereby anexternal party accesses the system and leaves a voice message for aninmate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As required, a detailed illustrative embodiment of the present inventionis disclosed herein. However, techniques, systems and operatingstructures in accordance with the present invention may be embodied in awide variety of forms and modes, some of which may be quite differentfrom those in the disclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specificstructural and functional details disclosed herein are merelyrepresentative, yet in that regard, they are deemed to afford the bestembodiment for purposes of disclosure and to provide a basis for theclaims herein, which define the scope of the present invention. Thefollowing presents a detailed description of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention (in addition to some alternative embodiments).

Referring first to FIG. 1, depicted is a block diagram of an exampleinmate call management system. One of skill in the art will recognizethat the voice message exchange system of the present invention may beincorporated into any call management system. Additionally, it isforeseeable that the voice management system may be externally attachedto the call management system or incorporated internally into the systemdepending on the requirements of the call management system in use.Thus, FIG. 1 is merely an example of a call management system and is notintended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Site 100 preferably includes telephonic instruments 101 a-n, where “n”is an integer representative of the number of devices, site platform103, and administrative workstation 105. When an inmate wishes to placea call, he or she picks up telephonic instrument 101 a-n. The system,prompts for identification information such as a Personal IdentificationNumber (PIN). Other identification means (not shown) may also beconnected to telephonic instruments 101 a-n. Examples of suchidentification means include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)technology and biometric identification means (i.e., fingerprintscanner, retinal scanner, voice analyzer, etc.). Once the systemidentifies the inmate, the inmate is prompted to dial a number to make acall. Site platform 103 preferably includes at least one site server andat least one recorder (not shown). The recorder is preferably digitaland serves two functions. First, the recorder records the conversationsbetween an inmate and a contacted party as is known in the art. Second,the recorder records messages left by an inmate or an external partyutilizing the voice message exchange system. The two functions can beperformed by the same recorder or alternatively by two or more recorders(i.e., one for recording conversations and one for recording messages).The digital recorder preferably connects to a site server within siteplatform 103. The site server preferably stores information such asconversations, messages, call logs, account status, and otherinformation about the inmate and contacts.

Administrative workstation 105 connects to site platform 103 viaconnection 107. Connection 107 is preferably a Local Area Network (LAN)connection, but other connections are foreseeable. Although only oneadministrative workstation 105 is shown, it is contemplated thatmultiple workstations 105 may be utilized by the system depending oninstitutional requirements. Also, while administrative workstation 105is shown onsite, it is also possible to access site platform 103 via theInternet through a web browser. Workstation 105 enables an administratorand authorized personnel to access account information, monitor calls,perform searches, etc. In an embodiment, the searches can be wordsearches initiated either automatically or after either text or audioadministrator input. For example, an administrator can provide an audioinput of a desired word, and the system will search for that word in amonitored/recorded conversation. This search can be performed either onthe audio conversation or on a text version of the conversation usingthe speech-to-text conversion. It is also foreseeable that the functionscontrolled by site platform 103 may alternatively be controlled remotelyat a central platform.

Site platform 103 connects to remote telephonic instruments 111 a-n viaconnection 109. Connection 109 may be a Public Switched TelephoneNetwork (PSTN), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection, etc.depending on the requirements of the system. Further, one of skill inthe art will recognize that the illustration of connection 109 is shownin a simplified form.

FIG. 2 depicts a flow chart illustrating the preferred process wherebyan inmate leaves a voice message for an external party according to thepresent invention. Initially, an inmate attempts to access the system(step 201). The system prompts for identification information.Authentication of the inmate is performed as is known in the art (step202). For example, authentication may include the entering of a PINnumber, using RFID technology, or utilizing biometric identificationmeans. These authentication means may be used alone or in conjunctionwith any of the other authentication means. If the authentication testsare not passed, system access is denied and the call is ended (step231). After the inmate successfully logs in, the system checks to see ifthe inmate has received any new voice messages (step 204). New messagesare then played (step 208). After all the messages have been played orif there are no new messages, the inmate is prompted to make a call(step 206). Verification tests are then performed such as verifying thatthe number dialed is an authorized number, that the number dialed hasnot been called forwarded, etc. (step 203). If the attempted call failsthe verification tests, the call attempt is ended (step 231) and thesystem bills for usage as appropriate (step 233). However, if theattempted call passes the verification tests, the call proceeds. Thesystem attempts to make a connection with the dialed party and detectswhether the call is answered (step 205). If after a set number of ringsthe call remains unanswered, the system prompts the inmate with theoption to leave a message (step 213). If the call is answered, thesystem checks to see whether the call was answered by a live person(step 207). When a human answers the phone, the system preferablyprompts for the called party to accept or reject the call (i.e., “Say orPress 1 if you would like accept the call.”). If the call is answered byan automated answering device, such as an answering machine or a voicemailbox, the system gives the inmate the option to leave a message (step213). Those skilled in the relevant art(s) will recognized that othermethods may be utilized for identifying whether a person or an automatedanswering service answered the call, without departing from the spiritand scope of the present invention.

If the system determines that a live person answered the call (step207), the system prompts the called party with an acceptance orrejection message (step 209). At step 231, the call is ended when thecalled party rejects the incoming call and the system bills for usage asappropriate (step 233). Further, the system enables the called party toblock all future calls from the inmate. Upon acceptance of the call bythe called party, the call proceeds under the institution's restrictions(step 211). The call is monitored for three-way call attempts,inappropriate conversation, etc. as is known in the art.

If an automated answering device answers the call or if there is noanswer, the inmate is prompted with the option to leave a message (step213). The inmate then chooses whether or not to leave a message. If theinmate chooses not to leave a message (or does not meet the necessaryrequirements to leave a message, i.e., possess the necessary account),the call is ended (step 231) and the system bills for usage asappropriate (step 233). When the inmate decides to leave a message, thesystem prompts the inmate to leave a message and the inmate records amessage (step 215). The message is then checked for content, etc. (step217). Messages that fail the security check result in the call ending(step 231). Once a message passes the security check, the systemdisconnects the inmate, dials the appropriate number and attempts toleave a message (step 219). After each attempt, the system checks to seeif the attempt was successful and a message was left (step 221). Whenthe system successfully reaches an automated answering device or whenthe call is answered by a live person, the system plays the recordedmessage and any other default messages as required by the institution(step 229), the call is ended (step 231) and the system bills for usageas appropriate (step 233). At this point, the called party is preferablygiven instructions for leave a message for the inmate. Upon unsuccessfulattempts, the system checks to see if the maximum number of attempts hasbeen reached (step 223). The system is configurable to make a maximum“n” number of attempts to try and leave a message. Once the systemreaches the maximum number of attempts, the system saves the message(step 224) after which the call attempts are ended (step 231) and thesystem bills for usage as appropriate (step 233). When the called partyaccesses the system, the system will play the recorded messages (asshown in FIG. 3).

When the system finds that the maximum number of tries has not beenreached (step 223), the system records the number of attempts (step225). The system preferably utilizes an incremental counter whereby eachtime an attempt is made, the number of attempts increases by one. Aftera set amount of time has elapsed (step 227), the system again attemptsto leave the message (step 219). This process continues until either themessage has been left successfully or the maximum number of attempts hasbeen reached, whichever comes first.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of leaving the inmate's actualrecorded message on the called party's automated answering device, thesystem could leave a message stating that an inmate has recorded amessage and gives the called party a number to dial to hear the recordedmessage. After the called party dials the number and completes thenecessary authentication steps, the system plays the recorded messagesand gives the called party an option to reply to the message. The systemalso provides the option to block future calls from the inmate.

Next, FIG. 3 depicts the preferred process according to the presentinvention whereby an external party leaves a voice message for aninmate. Initially, the external party attempts to access the system bydialing the proper system phone number (step 301). The system promptsfor user authentication (step 303). If the user fails to beauthenticated, the system denies entry (step 305). The system thenchecks to see whether the number of attempts to access the systemmatches the maximum number of attempts allowed by the system (step 307).Upon a match the attempt to access the system is terminated (step 309).If the maximum number of attempts has not yet been reached, the systemagain prompts the user for authentication (step 303).

When the user is authenticated, the system then prompts for accountinformation (step 311). If the user does not have a pre-existingaccount, the system takes the user through a series of steps to set upan account including setting up billing means and properly identifyingwhich inmates the user desires to communicate with (step 313). Thesystem checks to see if the account was successfully set up (step 315).The system then checks to see whether the number of attempts to set upthe account matches the maximum number of attempts allowed by the system(step 317). If the maximum number of attempts has not been reached, thesystem again prompts the user to set up an account (step 313). When themaximum number of attempts is reached, the system terminates the accessattempt (step 309).

After the user successfully set ups an account (step 315) or if the userhad a pre-existing account (step 311), the system plays any messagesthat an inmate has left for the user (step 312). At step 319, the systemprompts the user to leave a message after the messages have been playedor when there are no messages. The message is then checked for suchthings as content (step 321). If the message fails the check, themessage is sent to the administrator (step 331). Once sent theadministrator (step 331), the administrator can review the message andapprove/disapprove the check determination. In other words, theadministrator can deem the message to be content-acceptable even afterthe message has failed the content check. Alternatively, theadministrator can approve the content check failure. If the messagepasses the check, the message is stored (step 323), the call is ended(step 327) and the user is billed for usage of the system (step 229).Also, the inmate may optionally be notified (step 325). Preferably, theinmate is notified upon attempting access to the system (as shown inFIG. 2). However, it is foreseeable that such methods as notifying theinmate via closed circuit cameras or sending notification via a printedmedium to the inmate may be used. Also, it is foreseeable that insteadof hearing the message upon accessing the system, the voice message maybe converted from voice to text and the text message is delivered via aprinted medium with the regular mail or sent to an inmate's email inbox.

These several different notification options can be used individually oras part of a combined effort to notify the message recipient. Forexample, each inmate and/or contact whose identity is known to thesystem can have a plurality of notification options associated with themin memory. These options can be based on the preferences of theindividual, their capabilities, and/or the options that they haveauthorized. In other words, an individual that is capable of receivingmessages can be limited to certain notification options by their limitedcapabilities, or can select/approve notification options from among alist of options. The resulting list of notification options are thenstored in association with that person so that the person can benotified of a message in accordance with their preferences/capabilities.In an embodiment, the options may be limited by message creator inaddition to the message recipient.

Once the list of notification options has been identified by the system,the system can then employ multiple of those notification options aspart of a combined effort to inform the recipient of the message. Forexample, the system may select more than one notification option to beused together for notifying the recipient. Alternatively, the system canperform a hierarchical selection based on the success/failure of anearlier-selected option. For example, in an embodiment, the systemselects a first notification option and then carries out thenotification option in order to attempt to notify the recipient of themessage. If the notification is successful, no further options arepursued. However, if the notification fails (e.g., the notificationfails to directly contact the recipient or the recipient fails torespond to the notification within a predetermined time), the systemthen selects and carries out a second notification option for notifyingthe recipient. This can continue until a notification is deemedsuccessful, until a predetermined time has passed, or until apredetermined number of notification attempts have been performed.

In an embodiment, the inmate and an outside user can exchange messagecommunications. For example, the outside user can place a phone call tothe system. This can be done by attempting to call the inmate directly,or by calling a central number associated with the system. Onceconnected, the system will authenticate the outside user in any mannerpreviously described. This authentication can also include setting up anaccount (through the use of telephone prompts or otherwise) andaccessing the user's account. After the account has been accessed, thesystem prompts the outside user to leave a message for a designatedinmate. The outside user will dictate his audio message as the systemrecords the message on a replayable medium.

After the system has recorded the message, the system issues anotification to the designated inmate. The notification can include anyof the notifications described above, as well as issuing a wirelesscommunication notification to a wireless-enabled device associated withthe inmate. In an embodiment, the wireless notification can include atext-converted version of the recorded message. After receiving thenotification, the inmate accesses the system. This access includesauthentication and account accessing. After authentication, the inmatecan prompt the system for playback of the message, which causes thesystem to replay the message.

In a similar manner, the inmate can leave a message for the outsideuser. For example, the inmate can provide the system with an audiomessage either on his own initiative, or in response to receipt of amessage from the outside user. As described above with the case of theoutside user, the inmate must first access the system. This can involveauthentication as well as account access. The inmate can access thesystem by calling an outside telephone number, a central numberassociated with the system, or by accessing the system from a terminalor other access device. Once accessed, the inmate designates the outsideuser for whom the message is being provided. After the outside user hasbeen designated, the system performs a security check in order to makesure that the outside user is callable, i.e., whether the inmate is inany way prohibited from contacting the outside user.

If the security check fails, the inmate is rejected in his request forleaving the message. On the other hand, if the security check passes,the inmate is prompted to leave a message for the outside user. Once theprompt has been issued, the system records an audio message dictated bythe inmate for the outside user. After the message has completed, thesystem notifies the outside user. This notification can be in the formof a telephone call to the outside user, which, once accepted by theuser, can be used to replay the recorded audio message of the inmate. Ifthe call is rejected, the system does not replay the message, andinstead deletes the message from storage. The system also prompts theoutside user if they would like to block future communications from theinmate. As an alternative notification, the system can transmit anemail, text message, or other electronic notification to the outsideuser. The user can then access the message upon calling the system. Inthis manner, an inmate and an outside user can exchange messagecommunication. This embodiment can be combined with any of thepreviously described embodiments.

While the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiment and several alternative embodiments, whichembodiments have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposesof making a complete disclosure of the invention, such embodiments aremerely exemplary and are not intended to be limiting or represent anexhaustive enumeration of all aspects of the invention. The scope of theinvention, therefore, shall be defined solely by the following claims.Further, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerouschanges may be made in such details without departing from the spiritand the principles of the invention. It should be appreciated that thepresent invention is capable of being embodied in other forms withoutdeparting from its essential characteristics.

What is claimed is:
 1. A platform for processing messages between amessage creator and a message recipient, the platform comprising: amemory; and at least one processor and/or circuit coupled to the memory,the at least one processor and/or circuit configured to: provide a listof available notification options to the message recipient; receive,from the message recipient, a selection indicating the plurality ofnotification options associated with the message recipient; store theplurality of notification options in the memory in association with themessage recipient; receive the message from the message creator that isdesignated for the message recipient; store the message in the memory inassociation with the message recipient; carry out a first notificationoption from among the plurality of notification options in order toattempt to notify the message recipient that the message awaitsretrieval by the message recipient from the platform; carry out a secondnotification option from among the plurality of notification options inorder to attempt to notify the message recipient that the message awaitsretrieval by the message recipient from the platform, upon a failure ofthe first notification option to successfully notify the messagerecipient, wherein the first notification option is different from thesecond notification option.
 2. The platform of claim 1, wherein thefirst notification option includes calling the message recipient inorder to provide a verbal notification of the message.
 3. The platformof claim 1, wherein the verbal notification is an automated message byan interactive voice response system.
 4. The platform of claim 1,wherein the plurality of notification options include at least one ofcalling the message recipient, sending a Short Message Service (SMS)text message to the message recipient, sending an email to therecipient, and publicly displaying a notification.
 5. The platform ofclaim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of notification optionsincludes functionality to allow the message recipient to review themessage via the at least one of the plurality of notification options.6. The platform of claim 1, wherein the message is a voice message, andwherein at least one of the plurality of notification options includesconverting the voice message to text.
 7. The platform of claim 1,wherein the message is a text-based message, and wherein at least one ofthe plurality of notification options includes converting the text-basedmessage to audio.
 8. A method for processing messages between a messagecreator and a message recipient, the method comprising: providing a listof available notification options to the message recipient; receiving,from the message recipient, a selection indicating a plurality ofnotification options to be associated with the message recipient;storing the plurality of notification options in a memory in associationwith the message recipient; receiving a message from the message creatorthat is designated for the message recipient; storing the message in thememory; identifying the plurality of notification options based on atleast one of the message creator and the message recipient; performing afirst notification option from among the plurality of notificationoptions in order to attempt to notify the message recipient that themessage awaits retrieval by the message recipient from the memory;performing a second notification option from among the plurality ofnotification options in order to attempt to notify the message recipientthat the message awaits retrieval by the message recipient from thememory, upon a failure of the first notification option to successfullynotify the message recipient, wherein the first notification option isdifferent from the second notification option.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein the first notification option includes calling the messagerecipient in order to provide a verbal notification of the message. 10.The method of claim 9, wherein the verbal notification is an automatedmessage by an interactive voice response system.
 11. The method of claim8, wherein the plurality of notification options include at least one ofcalling the message recipient, sending a Short Message Service (SMS)text message to the message recipient, sending an email to therecipient, and publicly displaying a notification.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of notification optionsincludes functionality to allow the message recipient to review themessage via the at least one of the plurality of notification options.13. The method of claim 8, wherein the message is a voice message, andwherein at least one of the plurality of notification options includesconverting the voice message to text.
 14. The method of claim 8, whereinthe message is a text-based message, and wherein at least one of theplurality of notification options includes converting the text-basedmessage to audio.
 15. A messaging platform, comprising: a memory; and atleast one processor and/or circuit coupled to the memory, the at leastone processor and/or circuit configured to: provide a list of availablenotification options to the message recipient; receive, from the messagerecipient, a selection indicating the plurality of notification optionsassociated with the message recipient; store the plurality ofnotification options in the memory in association with the messagerecipient; receive the message from the message creator, the messagebeing designated by the message creator for the message recipient; storethe message in the memory in association with the message recipient;call the message recipient in order to notify the message recipient thatthe message awaits retrieval by the message recipient from the messagingplatform; carry out a selected notification option from among theplurality of notification options in order to attempt to notify themessage recipient that the message awaits retrieval by the messagerecipient from the messaging platform, upon a failure of the call tosuccessfully notify the message recipient.
 16. The messaging platform ofclaim 15, wherein the failure of the call is defined by the messagerecipient not answering the call.
 17. The messaging platform of claim15, wherein the failure of the call is defined by the message recipientfailing to review the stored message within a predetermined time of thecall.
 18. The messaging platform of claim 15, wherein the plurality ofnotification options include at least one of calling the messagerecipient, sending a Short Message Service (SMS) text message to themessage recipient, sending an email to the recipient, and publiclydisplaying a notification.
 19. The messaging platform of claim 15,wherein the call is carried out at regular intervals so as to repeatedlyattempt to notify the message recipient of the message.
 20. Themessaging platform of claim 15, wherein the message creator is an inmateof a controlled facility, and wherein the message recipient is anoutside party that is not an inmate of the controlled facility.
 21. Aplatform for processing messages between a message creator and a messagerecipient, the platform comprising: a memory; and at least one processorand/or circuit coupled to the memory, the at least one processor and/orcircuit configured to: receive the message from the message creator thatis designated for the message recipient; store the message in the memoryin association with the message recipient; carry out a firstnotification option from among the plurality of notification options inorder to attempt to notify the message recipient that the message awaitsretrieval by the message recipient from the platform; carry out a secondnotification option from among the plurality of notification options inorder to attempt to notify the message recipient that the message awaitsretrieval by the message recipient from the platform, upon a failure ofthe first notification option to successfully notify the messagerecipient; receive a message access attempt from a purported recipient;receive identifying information of the purported recipient; authenticatethe purported recipient as being the message recipient; and provide themessage to the message recipient in response to the authentication,wherein the first notification option is different from the secondnotification option.
 22. The platform of claim 1, wherein the selectionreceived from the message recipient is ranked according to preference,and wherein the first notification option and the second notificationoptions are selected according to their respective ranks.